The 5 best fall beers we tried at Village Voice's big craft beer fest

Fall is a magical time for craft beer enthusiasts. It's a season
of experimentation, when rich flavors like pumpkin, maple,
and warm spices come into play.

The Village Voice hosted its annual Brooklyn
Pour beer festival at the Brooklyn Expo Center Saturday. More
than 60 breweries were in attendance, bringing some classic brews
as well as the best creations they've whipped up for fall.

We sampled some beers in between bites of authentic German
pretzels from Zum Schneider and grilled cheese from Mrs. Dorsey's
Kitchen. Other attendees played cornhole, participated in giant
games of beer pong with trash cans instead of cups, and competed
in stein hoisting competitions.

Here are some of the best fall brews we tried.

5. BigLeaf Maple Autumn Red, Anchor Brewing

Facebook.com/anchorbrewing

This red ale from San Francisco-based Anchor Brewing has hints of
caramel and maple syrup.

It has an amber color and a sweet taste that's well-suited for
fall.

4. Newburgh Brown, Newburgh Brewing Company

Hailing from Newburgh, New York, about 70 miles north of
Manhattan, Newburgh Brewing Company makes a delicious brown ale.
The malt is lighter and has a nutty aftertaste that craft beer
aficionados have been
raving about.

It was fresh and balanced, which helped to reset our palates in a
room full of bolder beers.

3. Golden Monkey, Victory Brewing Company

Madeline
Stone

With a 9.5% ABV (beers typically range between 4% and 6% ABV),
Golden Monkey is a pretty boozy beer, but it's disguised well in
hints of spices like cinnamon, nutmeg, and coriander, as well as
some banana flavor.

This isn't a new beer from Victory, but the sweetness and warm
flavors make it a great beer for fall.

2. Leaf Pile Ale, Greenport Harbor Brewing Company

Greenport Harbor Brewing is based in Long Island and offers a
delicious autumnal ale.

Notes of pumpkin, ginger, cinnamon, vanilla, and nutmeg make
for a sweet and balanced fall drink.